Road-breaking device



March 31, 1931. R. EDGREN 1,798,975

ROAD BREAKING DEVICE Filed May 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

R. EDGR EN A Mf W A TTORNEYS.

March 31, 1931. 5 551 1,798,975

ROAD BREAKING DEVICE Filed Ma'y 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

By R. E n 8 RE N A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES ROBERT EDGBEN, F RENO, NEVADA ROAD-BREAKING nnvxon Application filed May 8, 1929. Serial No. 361,484.

This invention relates to improvements in road breaking devices and has particular re ference to a machine for breaking up hard surfaces such as highway surfaces Or for deep plowing.

A further object is to provide a machine which may be readily trailed after a tractor or the like, which machine will be capable of penetrating a considerable distance below the surface over which the machines is passing and one which will further cause an upthrust so that the surface will be cracked and broken into small fragments.

A still further object is to produce a device which is economical to manufacture, simple to operate and one having the necessary strength to withstand the hard usage incident to this type of work.

Other objects and advantages will be ap- 539 parent during the course of the following de scription.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device,

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view showing the manner of maintaining the drawbar in alignment with the machine.

In road construction it is often necessary to dig up the surface of the former highway in order to reconstruct the new highway. After these surfaces are very hard it is necessary to employ a machine capable of exerting heavy stresses both forward and upwardly. Heretofore this has been accomplished principally by using drills, crow-bars, and similar devices which required a large amount of labor and at best was a slow and tedious operation. Applicant has devised a machine which may be initially set so that the working element is at a level below that of the highway, after which the machine is moved forward with the result that a digging in and lifting action occurs thereby accomplishing the breaking up in an expeditious manner.

In the accompanying drawings wherein provided with a thrust bearing 43 to which for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals 5 and 6 designate a pair of parallel spaced I beams to the rear end of which is secured a downwardly extending frame 7 having a forwardly projecting plow head 8. This plow head is further braced to the I beams 5 and 6 by an upwardly projecting brace 9. Rotatably supported at the forward extremity of the plow head 8 is a digging screw 11 which may be rotated through the medium of a shaft 14 which is in turn driven by a chain 16 passing over'a pulley positioned on the shaft 14v and over a pulley posi tioned on a stub shaft 17. A beveled gear 18 meshes with a beveled gear 19 carried upon a shaft 21 journaled upon the I beam 5. A sprocket wheel 22 has a chain 23 reaved thereover which chain passes around a sprocket 26 secured to the ground wheel 27. This ground wheel is rotatably supported upon a yoke 28 while a similar ground wheel 29 is journaled to the opposite leg of the yoke.

Braces 31 and 32 connect with the yoke 28 and with a pin 33 carried in the I beams 5 and 6. A draw bar 34 is connected to the pin 33 and has its forward end slidably mounted in brackets 36. A pivoted leg 37 carries a wheel 38 at its lower extremity and is adjustably held through the medium of a screw 89 which is carried in a. bearing 41 and rotated through the medium of a hand wheel 42. The lower end of this screw is springs 44 are connectech These springs in turn are connected to a plate 46 which is pivoted as at 47 to the leg 37. A link 48 is pivoted to the leg 37 and has its upper end pivoted to a platform 49 which platform is in turn pivoted as at 51 to the yoke 28.

In order to raise and lower the plow head 8 I provide a screw 62 and a hand wheel 58 which hand-wheel rests upon thrust bearings V 54. The lower end of the screw is connected through a T-head 56 to the I beams 5 and 6. The result of this construction is that when the device is hitched to a tractor through the medium of the draw-bar 34 and moved upon a surface to be broken up, as for instance a highway, the operation is as follows A slight depression is first dug so that when the hand-wheel 53 is operated, the plow head 8 and digging screw 11 may be lowered into the dug hole. By now moving the entire device in a forward direction rotarymovement is transmitted to the ground wheels to the digging screw which tends to loosen the dirt just ahead of the plow head which then travels beneath the surface to be lifted and as the same moves forward the upwardstress is exerted by the plow head resulting in a breaking up action. The purpose of the hand wheel 42 is to adjust the leg 37 in such a manner that the platform 49 may be maintained level with the ground.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the 7 same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the character described, a pair of spaced I beams, a downwardly extending frame secured to the rear of said I beams, a plow head secured to said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, a digging screw rotatably mounted at the forward end of said plow head and means for raising and lowering said plow head for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the character described,

a pair of spaced I beams, a downwardly extending frame secured to the rear of said I beams, a plow head secured to said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, a digging screw rotatably mounted at the forward end of said plow head, means for raising and lowering said plow head, said means comprising a pair of spaced wheels, a yoke connecting said wheels and having said I beams adjustably suspended therefrom.

3. In a device of the character described a pair of spacedI beams, a downwardly extending frame secured to the rear of said I beams, a plow head secured to said frame and extending forwardly and horizontally therefrom, a digging screw horizontally rotatably mounted at the forward end of said plow head, means for raising and lowering said plow head, said means comprising a pair of spaced wheels, a yoke connecting said wheels and having said I beams adj ustably suspended therefrom. f

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT EDGREN. 

